Childish Gambino, Donald Glover Acts, Raps, and Talks His Way to the Top

With 3 full length albums, 2 related mixtapes (I am Just a Rapper 1 and 2), a critically acclaimed E.P., an upcoming full length (his second release for 2011), a slew of releases pre-Gambino under the moniker mc DJ, and whatever other miscellaneous tracks and mixtapes and covers he has floating about, Childish Gambino is just about one of the most productive and prolific artists in the indie rap community. Donald Glover has never pretended he was born in the hood and moved up through that path this way of Jay-Z. And the remarkable thing is that he’s a rapper secondly, opening saying acting and writing for hit shows such as 30 Rock and acting on Community is his number one job.

So for a guy who instinctively puts rapping on the backburner, he sure does release high quality tracks. His most popular track “Freaks N Geeks” circulated the internet earlier this year, and his cover version of Kanye West’s “All of the Lights” was a phenomenal tour de force of rapping skills and flow that deserves Gambino a notorious claim to fame. He manages to mix electro dance beats into some songs, and another teases R&B with a surprising ability to sing. His strongest tracks slay, as his strongest tracks rap girls, C level fame, and a massive ego. His mixtapes use instrumentation from bands like Radiohead, Sleigh Bells, and Animal Collective. CG never strayed from diversity, and his track record shows a willingness to experiment and not take the whole thing too serious.

His songs always seem to end too early, and not in a “Sopranos series finale” kind of way but in a “must repeat that immediately” kind of way. With his self-referential material and ability to appeal to mainstream rap listeners and still have that indie credibility, is something to behold.

Check out Iamdonald.com for more information on Childish Gambino. Oh and most of his music is available for free right there.

Checkmate.

Full lengths

Sick Boi – 2008

Poindexter- 2009

Culdesac- 2010

mixtapes

I am Just a Rapper

I am Just a Rapper 2

EP’s

E.P.


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